Climb down from that blue ivy tower and start jumpin’ (jumpin’) because studying for art history just got a whole lot more exciting.

2012 College grad Leigh Silver has combined one thing we love to hate and another we hate to love: studying and Beyoncé. The former English major who currently works at HuffPo crafted a new website, BeyonceArtHistory, that mashes up lyrics from Beyoncé songs with Van Gogh paintings of (Sasha) fierce women.

Sure, the meme craze is kinda over, but Silver’s fusion of Art + Queen B is convincing us that she runs the world.

Now, before you ring the alarm and fall crazy in love with the site, know that your study time is irreplaceable. Checking out Mrs. Carter in Rennaisance-chic might make you fall dangerously in love all over again!

Got a loved one pleasantly past prime? Planning on being old some day? Check this: super star senior citizen sustainer/Nursing Senior Kerry McLaughlin is heading up KnowMe, a mobile app that’s aiming to drastically improve how nursing homes work. As if Facebook wasn’t enough for our grandmas…Contact KnowMe for more info!

We’re halfway through! Or maybe you’re having your first final tomorrow. Or maybe you’re done and already home? (If this is the case, we’re jealous.)

No matter what level of panic or relaxation you’re in, you could use a study break. Here are some tips to help you stay sane–no, seriously we’re trying to help! Not enough? Check out last semester’s list here. Current list after the jump!

Read the rest of this entry »

You there, innocently sipping your iced latté and skimming your Bio textbook outside Green Line. Does it feel COOL to break the law?

Indeed, alongside gun control, tax collection and parking enforcement, the proliferation of illegal sidewalk cafés is something the city of Philadelphia takes very seriously. When restaurants needlessly (read: without purchasing permits to do so) spill out onto sidewalks, they block the way of people walking, shopping, loitering and going about their economically productive lives.

So consider enjoying that ensalada fresca somewhere besides el aire libre. Your libertad is at stake.

Channeling Improv Everywhere, theatrical geniuses Sam Pasternack and Lee Marcus use the power of music to bring to life an integral part of the Penn experience–stuff watching. Who actually steals things? What if no one is willing to commit? Who can you trust? Does anything exciting happen in Harnwell!? Watch the video to find out!

Let’s face it, studying sucks, and what sucks even more is sitting in a cramped library for eight hours at a time surrounded by the same obnoxious people.

There’s the guy who falls asleep the moment he turns his computer on, the girl who “politely” asks you to plug in every Apple product known to man, and that one person that decided it was a great idea to get a five-course meal delivered to his study cubicle.

As Penn kids in the midst of finals, we can all relate. Here are the ten annoying things that happen to us in study spaces. Happy studying, everyone! Read the rest of this entry »

Because we all need another distraction from finals and all things worse, check out this cute collab/cover! It features one of our favorite rap-star Penn alums, Hoodie Allen W’10, and the adorable Kina Grannis. Together, they’re basically a gangsta baby sloth. And the song they’re covering? It’s by Walk The Moon, who’ll be playing at Made In America this year. Too bad Hoodie and Kina didn’t replicate this dance (skip to 1:50, it’s totes, worth it).

We’re dreaming of a white Christmas weeknight bootycall library that hasn’t reached maximum occupancy this week. Despite Fisher’s current lack of seats (bitter), we’re glad the setup has changed significantly since 1900, when this photo was taken. Looks like a perfect place to cram for Intro to Claustrophobia or cry about that last BYO/mixer/shitshow you’re missing. Don’t fret honey child, you’re evidently amongst friends, and there’s always next year.

BuzzFeed’s got one more list to distract us from our studying/snacking and complaining about studying/snacking on Twitter (same thing). But this time it’s not the world’s cutest puppies or creepiest things written on bathroom stalls! It’s a perceptual map of the sexiest, smartest colleges in the country, and Penn kind of kicked the curve’s ass.

So relax. Catch up on Game of Thrones. No one cares about what you got in FNCE 100 when you’re at the hottest school in the country.

Technically, Emma Watson won Brown that #1 title, but she didn’t even graduate so we all know it doesn’t count. Plus, does Hermione have his sweet-as-honey, godsent voice? Nope. It’s all good, Brown. We’ll let you win something.

Every semester, there are three sure signs that finals season has rolled around. First—the most obvious—Van Pelt’s got extended hours; second, the nursing students have deserted campus; and third, a strict Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy on showering has been tacitly ratified by everyone you know and love.

But fear not, for there is a bar of soap at the end of this long, musky tunnel. In the meantime, enjoy these few sprinkles of fresh perspective. Read the rest of this entry »